Would this fly well for an 'unknown' pot. employer?

I have an interview tomorrow morning for a cook position, and then a "show me your skills" few hours on Saturday morning. Yay me, but the lady doesn't seem confident at me getting the job due to my lack of experience in a (commercial) kitchen. Nevermind that I have been basically a short order cook at home for the last how ever many years! lol

Anyway, when I 'went for' the cook job at my kids' daycare centre, I made a fruit cake and caramelised popcorn (you know, lollygobbleblissbomb stuff). It was also coming into Christmas time, so all went well. I had no other cooking references to provide the daycare with (aside from my family), so made those couple of things, and they also see the birthday cakes I make for my kids. It all went well.

However, for this cooking job, I don't know them at all. I have provided my Head Chef as a reference (I've only been working with him since March this year), and the Man as a contact if they really want to know about my last commercial cooking, about seven years ago.

My question is, would it be appropriate/acceptable for me to cook something and take in, such as a plate of cupcakes/ small pieces of two different cakes, etc.

Feedback most welcome! :)

Is cupcakes/cakes something that the potential employer would need you to make?
I am not in that field, but to me it sounds like a perfectly good idea. Could you ring them? Sounds proactive and shows a great deal of prior thinking and keeness on your part.

Good luck. Hope this can be the start of good things to come.

What type of establishment will you be cooking in? a restaurant ? do they serve dessert. If I was you I would get hold of a menu and see whatyou can cook offf it and practice what you cant

DH is a Head Chef ( qualified for ten years plus) and really they want to see how you can handle the pressure of the kitchen at a certain time of day and what you can cook for them off their menu.... :)

Plenty of Chefs start out a cooks so just because you arent qualified persay dont stress, Any woman / mother can cook in a kitchen after doing it at home for years, but its how well you handle the pressure to cook in a time frame. Customers only want a ten-15 minute wait for entrees andthen a further 15 minutes for mains etc... its about keeping it all running smoothly

PM me if you would like anymore help :)

It sounds like a good approach but as M2R said, I would see if you can find their menu and try to do something from that or something similar to what they serve. Good luck!

I think you should go for it. For starters, everyone loves a bit of cake or a cupcake and even if it's not the style of cooking they are looking for, to bite into a light and fluffy cake (or dense if it's a mud you're going for) and see that it is well cooked and fresh, yeah, I'd be impressed.

Good luck hun!!!

I agree with M2R - find out what type of menu they have a cook either something off their menu or something along the same lines. Best of luck!

Excellent idea M2R. Or more a briliiant point! Thank you, most appreciated. They have "gourmet delights" in their name. They do functions as well, and the owners also own a local winery/restaurant/retreat/function place. Described as "modern Australian". I have no idea what I could make!

I realise that Mum at home cooking is vastly different from time-pressed restaurant/cafe cooking. The lady said that they have had "lots of applicants, including sous chefs and the like", so I appreciate her giving me the time against qualified chefs, even though in her ad it did say "cook/chef". And she told me to bring my "chef jacket and knife kit (if I have a knife kit)" on Saturday with me. :o I don't have either!

I don't even think I can get a hold of their menu, or what sort of things they serve. I wonder if they would appreciate iced red velvet cupcakes? :wall:

It would be a good place to work, in terms that it would shorten my current round trip distance to work by 100km. :shakehead:

Most restaurants have a website, and usually have a menu on it. Even if u found an older one would give u an idea. Or ring and ask them to email/fax you one so u can look over and learn a few things before your trial. If I was hiring in a restaurant environment I would look on that favorably

Just wanted to encourage you to be confident with what you do know and not be concerned about what you lack in qualifications - I definitely think you can set yourself apart in a good way with clearly stating upfront that whilst you may not have formal qualifications - you do have skills and are really keen to learn etc.
Perhaps ring and see if you can discuss the menu/expected repertoire and make something from there/or close to take as M2R suggested. Don't forget you probably have other skills you can pull on like managing a budget, cooking seasonally, multitasking to prepare lots of meals at once, lol!
IMO being aware and realistic about your strengths and weaknesses along with a high level of motivation may be more appealing than some one who is less keen ITMS.
xxx

Just found "... does a ripper breakfast, nice lunches, great coffee, tea and cakes. Doubles as a furniture/homewares/edible produce store as well."

Mmm, cake.

The only food I know they actually have is a sticky date pudding. That is all I can find.

Thanks Mak. Yeah, I'm trying to upsell myself even though not qualified/highly experienced. Am going along the quick learner, reliable, enthusiastic, responsible track where possible. I don't think I'll mention the "managing a budget" bit. Don't do that so well!

Had my interview and trial run this morning (got changed to today from yesterday as the boss-lady had a function to go to).

Made three things and took them with me: red velvet cake (very small squares, split and iced with french cream icing), chocolate mousse, and date scones. All small, one bite kind of things, nicely presented in a container.

Rather a waste of time me thinks. And a crush to my ego. Remembering how boss-lady reacted, was ... how do I describe it? Kind of like when your cat brings you something its just killed because it loves you. You say, "mm, thanks" (but in that tone of voice, and then chuck it out with out the cat seeing).

I didn't expect anyone to drop anything and try what I had made. Only the chef tried a piece of cake on her break, and also just said, "that's nice". I felt soo childish. The Man was right (not saying that anyone was wrong, at all!) that I didn't need to make anything, just go, and do what I do. Feeling slightly fragile atm, so that's not really helping.

Since I have to work at the motel tonight doing reception, I have cut a little bit more rv cake and iced it to take to the manageress who will be training me. She loves her desserts, and feigned (well, at least I hope she was faking!) anger when the fact that I too love desserts was not weeded out during my interview (obviously I am competition for getting desserts). I coolly told her this was because I never had an interview, and was hired straight off my resume and a quick phone chat. We made up later that day when I took her a serving of brulee we had made for a function. I know she will appreciate cake.

I know I diverged just a little there, so I apologise. I just wanted to let everyone know how it went. And I've been asked to go back on Wednesday to help open up and work with another chef, but I don't want to.

FWIW ,I was also mistaken. Working at the new place won't cut my daily travel by 100km, it will only be by about 50km.

:hug: I hope that it's just the way boss-lady is, some people don't have much of a personality. Your RV cake sounds divine :hug:

as a born and bred hospitality worker and DH is as well.. to be honest i would have done the same as her if i was faced with someone bringing in food... for 1, I dont know who made it. 2, i have no idea how it was prepared(in what state your home kitchen is in) and 3 what was put in it..

it is about assessing your skills in the environment of their kitchen, as well as seeing how you work and communicate with those who already work their.
SO my tip for next time is go in confident with what you know! ask them questions about what you need to know but then just do what is asked and use you initiative especially in service times..

Good luck :)

Who knows why she didn't taste it and remember the chef did like it

:

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the chef tried a piece of cake on her break, and also just said, "that's nice".

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Walk in on Wed ready to let your skills fly. Sounds like a great opportunity that if they really didn't like you they wouldn't have offered you.

Enjoy your cake at work tonight and goodluck for Wed :D

:

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Had my interview and trial run this morning (got changed to today from yesterday as the boss-lady had a function to go to).

Made three things and took them with me: red velvet cake (very small squares, split and iced with french cream icing), chocolate mousse, and date scones. All small, one bite kind of things, nicely presented in a container.

Rather a waste of time me thinks. And a crush to my ego. Remembering how boss-lady reacted, was ... how do I describe it? Kind of like when your cat brings you something its just killed because it loves you. You say, "mm, thanks" (but in that tone of voice, and then chuck it out with out the cat seeing).

I didn't expect anyone to drop anything and try what I had made. Only the chef tried a piece of cake on her break, and also just said, "that's nice". I felt soo childish. The Man was right (not saying that anyone was wrong, at all!) that I didn't need to make anything, just go, and do what I do. Feeling slightly fragile atm, so that's not really helping.

Since I have to work at the motel tonight doing reception, I have cut a little bit more rv cake and iced it to take to the manageress who will be training me. She loves her desserts, and feigned (well, at least I hope she was faking!) anger when the fact that I too love desserts was not weeded out during my interview (obviously I am competition for getting desserts). I coolly told her this was because I never had an interview, and was hired straight off my resume and a quick phone chat. We made up later that day when I took her a serving of brulee we had made for a function. I know she will appreciate cake.

I know I diverged just a little there, so I apologise. I just wanted to let everyone know how it went. And I've been asked to go back on Wednesday to help open up and work with another chef, but I don't want to.

FWIW ,I was also mistaken. Working at the new place won't cut my daily travel by 100km, it will only be by about 50km.

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Hun, go open up - why would they want you to do that if they don't think much of you - they would have crossed you off the list immediately! Have faith in yourself - considering you are up against chefs, that is a huge compliment. I think the others have made relative posts - TBH how do they know YOU made it if they didn't watch you make it - YKWIM?

Believe in yourself!

Thanks everyone. I guess maybe I was a little unhappy because I didn't like it/enjoy it there as much as I had hoped. I have worked in a few small cafe's before, and this one... I don't know how to explain it, didn't feel great. Yeah, I know, it's just work. But having worked two evenings at doing Hotel reception (where I am also the function cook), I much prefer doing reception and having to deal with Joe Public (which I normally don't), than been in that cafe kitchen (where typically I love being behind the scenes).

I appreciate all the feedback, hadn't thought about the how and where the food was made, so that is a really good point. Thanks again for that.

I think I am going to stick it out where I am (at the Hotel), because they are going out of their way to help me (financially - my shift was due to finish at 11.15pm the other night, and there was nothing really for me to do by 9.30pm. Instead of sending me home, the manageress 'found' things for me to do, so that I could get more hours and make a bit more money, since she knows the Man's back is stuffed. Things like that...)

Go with your gut babe!

Yep, agree with MN here

Yep you do what feels right for you! If you aren't happy then it will show in your work.

Thanks everyone. While at work at the Hotel last night, the Head Chef who I had given as a reference, told me that me missed a call from the lady at the cafe (Monday last week), he was at the hospital with his pg wife. I sent cafe lady a msg letting her know, she was cool with that. Anyway, he said he's been trying to call her a lot over the last week, and the phone either goes unanswered or is off, at all different times of the day. I told him not to worry about it.

I had to think it a little humorous about the cafe. I was told to make the pies and 'savoury pies' (c'mon, they're not pies, they're quiches with odd fillings on the top!), 'messier' and more hand made. Erm, okay, they do look hand made. Just because they are "gourmet", they need to look messy. Gourmet = $$ ????? I think that was another reason I didn't really like it there. It felt kind of like the trendy table at school. Somewhere I was never welcome or comfortable. Like having a Mrs. Mac's pie instead of a Boscastle pie, because the Boscastle is 'gourmet' and more expensive, and I couldn't afford it. Especially over a.pie.

"Can you Genfac this for me" "Chef, do you want me to Genfac that for you" Genfac Genfac Genfac. WTFac? They used the term like it was some fandangle cooking device, when in fact it just means stuffing things into take away containers, which are branded "Genfac". :rolleyes: lol:spit:

And lastly, talking to my Head Chef last night, he also said that he is working on getting me my food handlers cert for free. I really appreciate all the Hotel is doing for me, since I am short short of money. I asked my manageress last night if all we were allowed to wear is black and white (no one had told me, but its all I had seen others wear). She said yes, but didn't say anything to me about it yet as I am short of money (and therefore didn't want me to worry about finding money to buy clothes/shoes especially for work). The only thing I haven't worn that is black or white are my dark red boots (which I never gave much thought to I admit) and I am behind a desk 99% of the night anyway, but I do have a pair of black shoes I can wear (as much as I don't like them!).